Question 1

Which of the following best explains why cheetahs are at risk of extinction due to genetic factors?

Accepted Answer

They lack genetic diversity, making them vulnerable to disease and environmental changes.

Question 2

What is the primary reason that human parasites are becoming resistant to pesticides?

Accepted Answer

Parasites are exposed to pesticides, and those with resistance survive and reproduce.

Question 3

Which process is responsible for the large size of modern tomatoes compared to their wild ancestors?

Accepted Answer

Artificial selection

Question 4

Why is the study of taxonomy important in biology?

Accepted Answer

It helps scientists find, name, and classify organisms, revealing evolutionary relationships.

Question 5

Fossils are most commonly found in which type of rock, and what process forms them?

Accepted Answer

Sedimentary rock; minerals replace organic matter

Question 6

Which of the following is an example of a homologous structure?

Accepted Answer

The forelimbs of a cat, human, whale, and bat

Question 7

Comparative embryology reveals that chicken and human embryos share which of the following features?

Accepted Answer

Pharyngeal pouches and post-anal tail

Question 8

What does the term 'amniote' refer to in evolutionary biology?

Accepted Answer

Animals that lay eggs with a protective amnion membrane

Question 9

Which observation led Darwin to propose the theory of natural selection?

Accepted Answer

Overproduction of offspring and individual variation

Question 10

A population of insects is sprayed with pesticide. Some survive and reproduce. What is this an example of?

Accepted Answer

Unintentional artificial selection

Question 11

The Hardy-Weinberg equation describes a population in genetic equilibrium. Which equation represents genotype frequencies?

Accepted Answer

$$p^2 + 2pq$$ + $$q^2 = 1$

Question 12

If the frequency of allele R is $$p = 0.8$$ and allele r is $$q = 0.2$$, what is the expected frequency of heterozygotes (Rr) in the population?

Accepted Answer

$$2pq = 0.32$$

Question 13

Which evolutionary mechanism is illustrated by a population bottleneck, such as the Mount Toba supervolcano event?

Accepted Answer

Genetic drift

Question 14

Which type of selection favors individuals with extreme phenotypes at both ends of the spectrum?

Accepted Answer

Disruptive selection

Question 15

Sexual selection can lead to which of the following outcomes in a population?

Accepted Answer

Sexual dimorphism, where males and females have distinct physical traits

Question 16

Research on Galapagos finches showed that drought conditions led to which evolutionary change?

Accepted Answer

Increase in average beak depth due to selection for tougher seeds

Question 17

Which of the following is NOT a source of genetic variation in populations?

Accepted Answer

Uniform reproduction of identical offspring

Question 18

What is the effect of flooding on isolated lake populations in terms of speciation?

Accepted Answer

Flooding allows cross-breeding, which can slow or prevent speciation.

Question 19

Antibiotic resistance in pathogens is increasing. Which real-world consequence is most directly related to this trend?

Accepted Answer

Higher percentage of disease cases are caused by antibiotic-resistant strains.

Question 20

Which equation represents the relationship between allele frequencies in a population?

Accepted Answer

$$p + q = 1$$

Evolution and Diversity: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Applications

Study Guide - Practice Questions